Garment



Feb. 14, 1939. M. NELSON 2,147,265

GARMENT Filed Feb. 21, 1958 Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

1 edges of the front skirt panels, on or near the line where the skirt and waist meet, tie-strings are permanently attached so that one may be extended laterally through an aperture on the side waist line, and the other tie-string may be eX- tended laterally in the opposite direction so that both tie-strings may be releasably fastened at the back waist line to keep the garment in proper position upon the wearer. The releasable fastening of the tie-strings at the back waist line may be made by tying the two tie-strings in bow fashion, or by a fastening element as a button and button hole, hook and eye, or snap connection.

As the above described garment is used mainly by housewives, maids, beauticians and factory workers, it is important that it should have enough give to permit the wearer to bend over with ease, or move around freely without exerting too much strain upon garment, and at the same time retain a neat and becoming fit. However, this is not the case with the conventional wraparound garments. If the tie-strings are fastened too tightly, very often they will tear out, or the garment will tear at the armhole or across the back, when the wearer bends her body. On the other hand, if the tie-strings are fastened loosely, the garment may not fit neatly, and the front hem line will fall below the back hem line. Furthermore, the tie-strings passing across the back waist line offer a means of hooking on to protruding objects or machinery.

Having the above described disadvantages in view, an object of my invention is to produce a wrap-around garment with an easily operated releasable fastening element that will permit the garment to fit neatly around the wearers body,

.yet possess enough give to permit the wearer to bend, walk and sit at ease without tearing the fastening element or the garment itself. Another object is to produce a wrap-around garment that does not have tie-strings extending across the back waist line.

A more complete understanding of this invention will be obtained from the detailed description which follows, read with reference to the appended drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of a wraparound garment with both front portions spread outwardly, disclosing my invention. 5

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of a wraparound garment disclosing my invention when left front of garment is releasably fastened.

Figure 3 is a front view of a wrap-around garment disclosing my invention when right front of garment is releasably fastened.

Figure 4 is a front view of a closed wrap-around garment disclosing my invention.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed View of waist portion taken between lines 5-5 and 55' of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a front view of a wrap-around garment with the right front panel open, disclosing a modified form of my invention.

Figure 7 isan enlarged detailed view of the waist portion of a closed wrap-around garment disclosing the modified form of my invention seen in Figure 6.

Referring more in detail to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the body of a conventional wrap-around or Hoover garment consists of a back waist I, a back skirt 2, front right waist 3, front left waist 4, front right skirt 6, front left skirt 1, side seams 8 and 9 connect the front and back portions, waist line l0 connects the bodice and skirt, the entire garment is open in front from hem line I I to extreme top by free edges 12 and l 3. I am omitting the sleeves, pockets, collar and trimmings as these items are arbitrary and may or may not be used.

I will now describe the distinctive feature my invention is particularly concerned with? two strips of elastic material l4 and I5 are sewed to the garment at or near the side seams on the waist line l8 and [9 respectively. Said strips of elastic material l4 and I5 have parts of releasable fastening elements such as button, snap or hook, I6 and I1, attached to their free ends. Near the upper corners of the front skirt panels 20 and 2| are attached the cooperating parts 22 and 23 of fastening elements 16 and H respectively. A little to the front side of point where elastic strip and garment connections [8 and I9 are made, small apertures 24 and 25 respectively are formed, permitting one of the elastic strips l4 or 15 to be used with underlapping portion of skirt. The aperture and elastic strip used depends on the side of the front garment used as the underlapping portion.

Figure 2 shows the left front side 4, I used as Y the underlapping portion. In this case elastic strip i is passed through aperture 25 and fastefied to upper corner of left front portion 4, i by fastening element I1, 22.

Figure 3 shows right front side 3, 6 being used as the underlapping portion of garment, accomplished by passing elastic strip l4 through aperture 24 and fastened to upper corner 2! of right front portion 3, 6 by fastening element 16, 23.

Figure 4 shows garment completely fastened and ready for use. In this figure the left front 4, 1 is used as the underlapping portion and the right front 3, 6 is used as the overlapping portion of garment. It should be noted that this construction permits either of the two front skirt panels 3, 6 or 4, I of the garment to be used as the underlapping or overlapping portion. Thus if wearer accidentally spills something or otherwise soils front of garment, the soiled part'may be made the underlapping portion, thereby giving the dress a reversible usage.

Figures 6 and '7 disclose a modified form of my invention. The garment is constructed as the preferred embodiment of my invention as seen in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, except that apertures 24 and 25 are omitted, and elastic strip 15 is sewed to underside of garment instead of on the upper face of garment. With this construction the front panels of the garment cannot be reversed as is the case with the before described embodiment of my invention.

It will be seen that garments of the above constructions will fit snugly and neatly, yet permit the wearer to bend freely without tearing fastening element or garment.

For the purpose of illustration I used the simplest construction of a Hoover garment, without sleeves, pockets, collar or any trimmings. However, a garment embodying my invention may have any of the above named elements or any conventional dress trimmings without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The terms front, .back, side, left, and right used in the above specification refer topositions when garment is on wearer, for example; the part of the garment mostly resting against the left part of the body is called the left side of the garment.

I am aware that there is a garment on the market constructed somewhat as the above described invention, however, this is the main difference: in the other garment the elastic strips are attached to the free upper corners of the front skirt panels. In order to fasten the garment it is necessary for the wearer to bring the elastic strips to the extreme sides of the body, where the fastenings are made. This is not a very simple operation as the wearer must twist or turn the upper part of the body more than is convenient. The strain put on the garment in doing this, often results in the garment tearing at the armholes or across the back. This is especially true in the case of stouter persons.

On the other hand, my invention enables the wearer to make the fastening more to the front center of the body. This can be done without any strain on the part of the wearer or the garment, as the wearer takes hold of the elastic strip and draws it towards the front center to make fastening.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a wrap-around garment or similar article having vertical side seams defining the back and front portions of said garment, a means for releasably fastening the garment around the wearer, comprising a strip of elastic material attached at or adjacent to the intersection of the waist line and the side seam on each side of said garment, a part of a releasable fastening element secured to each free end of said strips of elastic material, cooperating parts of a fastening element secured to the garment at a point adjacent to the intersection of the waist line and the free edge of said garment, and the waist line of said garment apertured to permit the portion of the fastening element attached to one elastic strip to cooperate with the part of the fastening element attached to the opposite front portion of the garment, while the other fastening element releasably secures the other opposite front portion of said garment.

2. In a wrap-around garment or similar article having vertical side seams defining the back and front portions of said garment, an openfront bodice, an open-front skirt, said bodice and skirt being integrally connected at the waist line, either side of the front of said bodice and skirt adapted to form the underlapping portion of the garment, the other side of the front of said bodice and skirt adapted to form the overlapping portion of the garment, a part of a releasable fastening element attached at or adjacent to the waist line near the free edge of each front portion of the garment, a strip of elastic material attached at or adjacent to the intersection of the waist line and the side seam on each side of the garment, a part of a releasable fastening element attached to each free end of said strips of elastic material, an aperture formed on each side of the garment a little to the front of the elastic strip and garment connection, one of said apertures permitting the part of the releasable fastening element attached to the nearest elastic strip to cooperate with the part of the releasable fastening element attached to the opposite front portion of the garment, and the other front portion of the garment being held in proper position by the part of the releasable fastening element attached to itself cooperating with the part of the releasable fastening element attached to the opposite elastic strip of materials 3. In a wrap-around garment or similar article having vertical side seams defining the back and front portions of said garment, an open-front bodice, an open-front skirt, said bodice and skirt being integrally connected at the waist line, one side of the front of said bodice and skirt adapted to form the underlapping portion of the garment, the other side of the front of said bodice and skirt adapted to form the overlapping portion of the garment, a strip of elastic material attached at or adjacent to the intersection of the waist line and side seam on each side of the garment, an aperture formed on one side of the garment a little to the front of the elastic material and garment connection, and means for releasably fastening the front of the garment with said elastic strips of material to keep the garment in proper position upon the wearer.

MAX NELSON. 

